The pop superstar is making her big screen debut as a leading lady in the movie revamp, alongside Bradley Cooper, who is also serving as director. The classic musical drama, which was first released with Janet Gaynor in 1937, revolves around a wannabe singer, who moves to Hollywood and is discovered by an alcoholic actor. Judy Garland played the aspiring star in 1954, and Barbra Streisand took on the role in 1976. Gaga, real name Stefani Germanotta, admits stepping into the actress’ shoes was incredibly daunting for her, but she used her nervous energy to give the best performance possible for the modern reboot.
“I was intimidated by the legacy of the film probably every single day,” she tells E! News. “I was always checking myself and going, ‘Remember who did this movie. You gotta bring it.’ But what I would say is… you gotta grab your b**ls and go or you’re not going to have a steady hand, so I did a bit of both… I had a nice balance of insecurity and confidence.” The Born This Way hitmaker was also spurred on by the fact it was her first big acting gig, which she describes as “a challenge in itself, period”. “I guess I was excited about that,” Gaga smiles. “The harder it got, the more excited I got.”
And it helped that her character, renamed Ally for the updated version, was someone she could personally relate to. “I was very healed in this character,” she explains. “There was so much about her in me that is similar and there’s some things that are very different. In the movie, A Star Is Born, she’s not a star when the movie starts and it took me back to a previous time in my life that I miss very much and I was able to connect with that and relive my career through her in a different way.” The movie is currently in post-production, and Gaga “would be honoured” if her role in A Star Is Born led to more big screen work. “Making this film (was) one of – if not the most – creative experiences of my life,” she gushes. A Star Is Born is set for release in September, 2018.